Never Alone
by Yellowbeans
Summary: One of the team is in critical condition and no one can seem to spit out the words and worries that float around the rest of the team. With the possibility of loss, can the team pull together and over come the challenges of grief, guilt, and love? TeamGen
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My first Young Justice story! I'm totally in love with this cartoon . . . Anyway, rated T for language, and "violence" (or the effects of it). I sorted this as "gen" and I plan on focusing on the team as a team and a family, but I'm trying to keep this as cannon-plausible as possible, that means hints of Superboy/Miss Martian and KF/Artemis, but if you're not into those pairings I don't think they're too glaringly obvious either. Of course, that also means everyone gets a chance to shine-and by shine I mean kick ass and angst. Enjoy!

* * *

The gun fired.

Kid Flash bolted, knocking Artemis to the ground as fast as he could. He was ecstatic to find her un-shot, he'd made it in time. She . . . bothered him, but hell if he was going to let anyone blow a hole through his teammate's skull.

"You okay?" he asked, to be sure.

"Yeah, thanks," she replied. Artemis quickly drew her bow and fired six shots in rapid succession, pinning the three attackers to the wall behind them with binding arrows. Kid Flash zipped over to the door and stuck one of the explosives Robin had handed him to its surface, pressed the detonation button, then backed up several yards instantly as the door disappeared with a bang in a cloud of smoke.

He ran in front of Artemis through the maze of corridors beyond. "Stupid government buildings," he muttered, carefully controlling his pace to keep within view. "Too many hallways."

He nearly bowled over Miss Martian as they met at the corner of grey carpet and grey carpet. She looked happy to see them.

_Aqualad? Superboy?_ Her telepathy resonated in his head.

_I'm approaching the fifth conference room,_ Aqualad responded. _Where are you?_

_Uh . . . That was conference room four . . . almost at five,_ Superboy reported. _Where's everyone else?_

_KF and I just caught up with Miss M,_ Atremis thought, sprinting the last few paces to her friends. _We're at conference room six, right by the stairwell._

Kid Flash looked around, surprised to find that there was indeed a staircase at this corner.

_Where's Robin?_ Miss Martian asked.

_I'm one level away from the enemy's main operation_.

_Crap, how'd you get three levels ahead of us?_ Kid Flash demanded.

_Robin, head in, we'll be there soon_, Aqualad ordered.

_Hurry, they look busy_.

_Right._

A few moments later they were found by their remaining two teammates. They both looked as though they hadn't run into much trouble, but Kid Flash decided to blame that on their tough skin.

"Let's move!" Miss Martian said, her eyes glowing as the bolted door exploded in front of her, exposing the stairwell. Superboy launched himself over the railing without so much as a glance down. Kid Flash zoomed down the stairs after him. He wasn't sure where he was going, he just kinda wanted to beat Superboy there.

"Sub-level eight!" Artemis called after him. She shot an arrow that worked in a way similar to Robin's grappling hook to the ceiling. She and Kaldur grabbed each other by the waist and followed after Kid Flash and Superboy. Miss Martian hovered around them as they slid as fast as they dared, until they reached Kid Flash and Superboy.

Superboy curled his fingers around the bolts of the door, ready to tear.

_Stop! Guys, stay back!_ Robin's frantic voice rang in their collective ears.

_What? Robin, what's going on?_ Miss Martian demanded.

_They—stay out! They knew we were—stay out!_

_No, we're coming in,_ Aqualad made a motion to Superboy. The clone hesitated for a brief moment before ripping.

As the he started to pull at the hinges, the door bent out of shape and the group was thrown backwards by an invisible, intense force.

Kid Flash was the first up. _Robin? What's happening?_ He asked. As he stood, the door was hanging on its last two hinges and he could see into sublevel eight. Smoke was thick and dark, but he made out pounds and pounds of rubble, and everything was _destroyed_.

_Robin?_ He tried again. Still no answer. His heart dropped into the pits of his gut. "Guys, he's not answering," he said, panicked.

"I'll go in," Miss Martian said, picking herself up. "The smoke won't be a problem for me."

"Call if you need help," Artemis assured her as the Martian strode past.

She disappeared into the smog and rubble; the rest of the team waited on baited breath until Kid Flash couldn't hold his tongue any more. "What exactly just happened?"

"A bomb," Aqualad said. "Robin was trying to warn us that they knew we were coming." He looked distraught: fingers twitching nervously at his sides.

There was a sudden gust and all of the smoke was forced up to the top of the stairwell. _Guys, get in here, second hall way on the left, office fifteen_, M'gann ordered, sounding thoroughly terrified.

Without a second prompting the team mobilized, running down the cleared hallway.

_M'gann, what's going on?_ Aqualad demanded.

There was no response, and Wally swore that he was going to kick _someone's_ ass if she was hurt.

They reached the room in no time, despite dodging fires and chunks of rubble. The entire floor smelled like burning flesh and explosives. Kid Flash was the first to enter but the rest were not far behind, Superboy at a close second.

His eyes found Miss Martian first. She was subduing two terrorists who seemed readily prepared for the explosives, unlike the other five or so partners littered across the floor. Their gear looked like nothing Wally had seen before, incredibly dense, and flame resistant he figured, too.

"M'gann?" Superboy asked.

Artemis shot a cable arrow, binding the enemies tightly. Miss Martian gave her a thankful glance it quickly melted to panic. She threw her gaze across the room and there was a collective intake of breath.

Kid Flash's breath hitched in his throat. "Holy shi- Robin!" he skidded to his knees before his friend, his heart racing and his eyes wide. "Robin, dude, talk to me!"

Robin didn't move


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: With such a great response so quickly, I don't know what to say other than thank you all!

Language is a little rougher in this segment, just FYI.

So, I'm not a huge fan of this chapter. Superboy isn't hard to write from another character's perspective, but his own is difficult for me. I gave it my best shot, though. It turned out short, too, which is annoying. So, because I'm not very happy with my Superboy chapter, and I don't want it to stand alone, have a Kaldur chapter as well! I like that one well enough, but it also turned out shorter than I wanted, so you get them both.

One last thing I ought to mention is that this takes place roughly a year from when the team came together. It doesn't make a big impact on the story at all, hopefully only adding to the team's bond. Also, the older Robin is, the easier it is for me to put him in dangerous situations. Thirteen? It weighs on my conscience to hurt a young boy!

* * *

Superboy knew what pain felt like. He knew what it did to normal people. He knew the mechanics of flesh and blood and bone. He even knew fear, a little—anticipation, anxiety, heightened senses—but he obviously didn't _understand_ them. Otherwise he would have been able to calm his racing heart and control his urge to break something—preferably the enemy's necks. He'd felt those things before, but for the first time he couldn't act on them.

He was stuck, eyes wide and unblinking at Robin.

Kid Flash was zipping all around the Boy Wonder, looking like he wanted to shake him awake, but also as if he didn't dare touch him. Then one of the terrorists laughed and all five remaining heads snapped to his direction.

The terrorist said something in a language Superboy didn't understand and spat in Robin's direction.

Kid Flash vanished from Robin's side, grabbed the man by the collar and drove him into the ground, howling incoherently as he repeatedly smashed his fist into the man's face.

"Wa—KF, stop!" M'gann pried him off, earning a wild glare from the other red head. But before he could open his mouth to yell at her she gave him a serious look. "He's not important now," she said, her tone grave.

"He's got a pulse but he's bleeding _badly_," Artemis's voice announced. Superboy swung his head around again. She was crouched over Robin, wiping a bloody hand on the scorched ground. Her eyes pierced right through him. "What are you just standing there for? Get him out of here!"

"No, we need to keep him as still as possible," Aqualad said. "M'gann, can you levitate him back to base?"

"Of course," she said dutifully, beginning to wave her hands over the youngest team member, eyes glowing. His frame remained motionless, save for a few dangling fingers and hairs that fell towards the ground, lifted onto an invisible surface.

"I'll check in once I've gotten back," Miss Martian indicated her communicator before bringing her broken teammate around and flying out of the room.

There was a moment of silence before Aqualad's communicator informed him that the Justice League would be arriving soon.

A grimace passed among the team.

"Batman," Artemis said, "is going to kill us. Or them," she jerked her chin to the terrorists.

"Not if I get them first!" Superboy, finally free of the invisible grip of shock nailing him in place, just barely intercepted the red head's lunge.

"Stop it, Kid Flash," Aqualad ordered. "We need to proceed to damage control, clean up as much as we can until the League gets here."

Wally looked like he was going to protest, but he bit his tongue and threw the terrorists one final death glare.

"I'll go with Artemis, you and Kid Flash check on the surrounding floors for any remainders," Aqualad addressed Superboy directly. "Keep an eye on Kid Flash. Don't let him . . ." he didn't finish, but Superboy understood. He gave Kaldur a nod and followed Wally back towards the staircase.

Wally was mumbling under his breath.

"You know I can hear everything you're saying, right?" Superboy asked flatly.

His yellow shoulders cringed. "Right, sorry. Do you-"

"Yes," Superboy rolled his eyes as he bounded up each flight of stairs, Wally keeping a controlled speed along side him. "I know what 'fuck', and every variation, means. Why are you so worried?"

Kid Flash's eyes narrowed behind his red-tinted goggles. "Dude, how are you _not_?"

Superboy's eyebrows pulled together as he shouldered open the door to the second floor. He didn't understand. Wally was worried but Robin was going to be fine. M'gann had him; he would be fine as soon as he got medical attention. That crazy, terrifying, asphyxiating discomfort in his chest was gone, that meant everything was okay. "He'll be fine."

Wally threw his hands up in the air. "Are you kidding me? Did we see the same Robin? He's going to bleed out before Miss M even gets him back to the base! And if by some miracle he doesn't he's most likely brain dead already! Superboy, _he is going to die_!"

"What?" Superboy asked, but another voice—the same voice—resonated in his ears along with his. The pair jolted.

"Wha-" Kid Flash began, but snapped his jaw shut. Superboy followed his gaze and managed to catch the very end of a black cape disappearing towards the exit, along with the rest of the Justice League, eyes a little wider than usual. His stomach dropped.

"Clear out fast," Superman addressed the rest of the League over his shoulder. "And meet back at Mount Justice as soon as possible." The heroes dispersed immediately, save for one—the Flash—who approached the two boys.

"Wally, what happened?" he asked, placing a hand on his protégé's shoulder.

Kid Flash opened his mouth, then closed it, three times, searching for words and finding none. "Robin," was all he managed, shaking his head, voice wavering.

Superboy knew at that moment that Kid Flash wasn't just upset, that Robin wasn't just hurt. The redhead was usually the first to act on impulse or feeling, true, but right now . . . his voice . . .

Instead of the overwhelming fear that felt like it had been ready to burst out of his body earlier, it felt as though there were an aching cavity inside his chest. He didn't quite understand it, but it felt like a snowstorm: cold but absolutely silent.

* * *

If he had just . . .

"Aqualad."

A deep voice snapped him from his thoughts. He glanced around and straightened up at the sight of his king, offering a salute. Aquaman held out a hand, allowing him to relax. He tried to fight the lines of distress from his face, but the king's intense gaze made it impossible; he turned away, ashamed.

"_What's wrong? What happened?_"

"_I have failed, my king_," he replied, his tongue thick and heavy with his ancient language.

Aquaman didn't pry, but he kept a steady gaze, willing to wait.

Kaldur raised a hand to his face and collected himself. "_I may have . . . I may be at fault for the death of my teammate_."

Aquaman's expression didn't change, but Kaldur saw the distress flash behind his king's eyes and felt another wave or crushing shame submerge him. "_Take your team,_" he instructed, "_and return to Mount Justice. We will arrive shortly as well._"

Kaldur shook his head. "_We have to stay, finish the mission, M'gann has promised to-_"

Aquaman cut him off, resting both of his hands on Aqualad's shoulders. "_Kaldur go see your teammate. Your efforts will be more important __there __than here._"

He wanted to protest, but bowed his head. "_Yes, my king_."

Aquaman nodded and released him, though he still looked troubled. He wanted to say more, to know more, but he withheld, and Aqualad was grateful. He was sure he wouldn't have been able to answer.

"Artemis," he said, turning to the archer who was intent on finding any remaining terrorists. He bow was pulled as taught as her muscles as she scanned the area. She spared him a sidelong, one-eyed glance. "We are leaving. Follow me."

"Kid Flash and Superboy are on the second floor," the Flash said as he suddenly appeared, throwing his thumb over his shoulder in a gesture that was undoubtedly Wally.

"Thank you," Kaldur nodded and took off towards the stairwell, Artemis in stride beside him. She managed to entangle three more terrorists in their ten-flight trip with her arrows. She pulled a fourth as they reached the second floor and nearly misfired as they ran into Superboy and Kid Flash.

"We have been dismissed," Aqualad informed them, his jaw tight.

Without a word, they found the fire-escape exit. Artemis didn't protest as Wally scooped her up. Superboy took Aqualad by the shoulder and Kaldur braced.

Superboy vaulted, but Kaldur's stomach stayed on the fire escape. He didn't particularly enjoy heights. The ship was . . . fine, manageable. M'gann always had it under control and it was solid. Traveling with Superboy was far less desirable for an Atlantean. Flying might have been better, at least there would have been only one up and one down, but he wasn't so lucky. Every leap stole his insides away and every fall he was certain they were traveling too fast to survive the impact.

But this time Kaldur couldn't hold it. After one leap he felt the bile rise in his mouth. After the last, he lost it. Outside the entrance to Mount Justice, he wanted to vomit every intense, foul feeling in his stomach, but only managed to lose his breakfast.

Wally scrubbed his red eyes, making some inaudible comment about the wind. No one dared point out he had been wearing goggles, not even Artemis.

Kaldur picked himself up, spitting once more before facing his team. His communicator sprung to life at his hip, but he clapped a hand over it, sharing a final stanchioned look with his team before entering the base.


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, this one took longer than I would have liked, but I worked hard! And I know that even though I've proof read it at least thirty times I'm going to find a stupid grammar/spelling mistake as soon as I upload it, but here you go! Enjoy M'gann's chapter!

* * *

Robin was tiny.

Well, to be fair, M'gann didn't know much about the physical substance of fourteen-year-old Earth boys; Kaldur, Superboy, and Wally were all older and much bigger.

Still, at this moment M'gann was sure he looked more fragile than she had ever seen him. He looked broken—she was sure human legs didn't bend that way—and cut open every which way, and the way he smelled made her want to swear off cooking forever.

Batman, though she wasn't sure exactly when, had stolen into the base and taken over the care of his ward. M'gann stood back from the bed a few feet while Batman set to work. He'd set Robin on his back, his right arm lay across his chest so limp and curved she doubted that there was any bone left in it, and his left rested by his raw cheek. His mouth was open just a sliver, no smile, and lips pale and cracked. Half his mask was gone, his exposed eyelid crusted in dark red from a nasty gash above his left eye.

M'gann clutched her stomach as Batman removed some large chunk of ragged shrapnel from Robin's neck, from where he had bled profusely. His right shoulder looked disjointed and his chest rattled with every shallow, sparse breath that couldn't even begin to fill his lungs.

The worst bleeding had been halted by Batman, a tight, clean tourniquet cutting off the artery in his left thigh, but M'gann saw the creeping edge of red slowly finding its way out from beneath his body—of course there were cuts on his back. She couldn't tell what exactly was wrong with his right leg, but she knew that legs didn't _rest_ like that.

"_Recognized: Aqualad . . ._" M'gann took the opportunity to bolt out of the room before she started crying. She barreled right into Artemis, who received her without stumbling. They shared an equally desperate, silent embrace and M'gann could feel Artemis's tense shoulders. They both fought off tears.

"Where . . . " Aqualad began, but his words died out. He looked sick, M'gann thought, a cold sweat evaporating on his forehead and irritated eyes.

M'gann pointed to the medical attention wing and muttered, "Batman."

A conflicted look passed over Kaldur's face. It was obvious he wanted to attend, even just stand by, his teammate, but he knew better. They all knew better than to interrupt Batman. And they were all _damn_ sure that one didn't dare try his patience when it came to Robin.

"How does he look?" Wally pulled off his bright yellow cowl and raked a hand through his hair. He looked terrible, too, but she wasn't surprised he was the one who could still speak in full sentences.

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Bad-broken." Her stomach knotted as she spoke, gruesome details popping to the forefront of her mind. She didn't notice that her words had kept spilling until Wally clapped his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. "Ah! I take it back, I don't wanna know!"

She pressed her lips together, looking at her toes. If things didn't turn out all right, if something happened . . .

_My fault-_

_-So stupid!_

_I should have—_

_How could I—_

_-problem? Why didn't I—_

_I just-_

_-waiting for nothing—_

_-failed—_

Everyone jolted, glancing around at one another. Unfortunately M'gann felt angry gazes fall on her, and held up her palms. "I didn't do that," she insisted. "I swear. I-" she pressed two fingers to her temple. "I don't know why that happened," she furrowed her brow.

Artemis was first to brush it off. "I'm . . . I'm going to reload and take some target practice outside," she said though her voice was weak and crackly.

Kaldur walked off without a word. Where to, she had no idea, the study? His room? Back outside to the ocean?

Superboy growled "simulator" and took off in the opposite direction. She considered following after him, but the white of his knuckles made it _explicitly clear_ that he wanted to be alone.

She didn't feel like cooking, and judging by the fact that even Wally made a face as they passed the kitchen, she was sure none of the team was keen on dinner anyway, so she tagged along with Wally to the training room.

Wally talked a mile a minute as they sparred, but M'gann didn't listen. Though, if the detached look in his eyes said anything, Wally was just talking to keep his mind running. Usually there was a bright light behind his face when he chattered away, but it was dull, disconnected today.

She always won when they sparred, he never wanted to hit her, but she was terribly off today. She missed easy shots left and right and her blocking was shamefully tragic. It was late when they finished their final round; she squinted at the clock—two thirty?

They made their way towards the other end of the base, purposely passing the medical center. Artemis was in a trance-like state somewhere between consciousnesses. Her eyes took long, lazy blinks and her hair was loose around her waist, head leaning against the wall.

M'gann peeked through the crack in the door. She couldn't see Robin for the frantic form of Batman and his fluttering cape. She grimaced; the fact that he was still just as busy as he had been six hours ago did not bode well.

"Any news?" M'gann turned to see Superboy trotting up to them. She wanted to perk up, she did, but she was tired and sad and still so worried that her stomach was eating itself.

She shook her head; it felt as though her brain rattled from side to side painfully. "None."

"Mnngh?" Artemis peeled her cheek off the wall. She stumbled as she unlocked her knees, but caught herself and stood up, glancing around at the team. She opened her mouth and for a few moments nothing came out, as though she had forgotten how to speak, but eventually she managed a slurred "when'dy'a guys geherre?"

"A few minutes ago," M'gann answered.

"How are you holding up?" Superboy asked.

"…'M fine," she said. Then M'gann noticed that Artemis's voice was no longer tired.

"Are you crying?" Wally bent slightly at the waist to get a closer look.

M'gann expected Artemis to swat at him and make some biting comment about minding his own business, but she wiped a trailing tear from her cheek in surprise. "Apparently."

"Tired?" Superboy asked. "I'll carry you to your room if you like."

Artemis shook her head. "No, I'm staying right here. But sitting," she slid down, back against the wall, "might be a welcome change."

M'gann sat down beside her, resting her head on Artemis's shoulder. "I'm scared," she admitted. It hurt to hear those words. It was no secret that everyone was living with their hearts in their throats, eager for the smallest bit of good news—just any news at all—but letting the words past her lips felt as though she were opening herself up to be hurt.

"I know," Artemis wrapped her arm around M'gann's shoulder.

Wally sat down next, before them. "Me too," he looked like a kicked puppy. "I'm scared too." His eyes kept drifting to the door, expecting something new each time, but his best friend remained unseen.

"He's going to be alright, he will," Superboy set his arms firmly over his chest before sitting beside Wally and crossing his legs.

For some reason the way that Superboy sat and the way he spoke made tears spring to her eyes. It hurt to think what the consequences of her actions would be for someone she cared about deeply.

Wally propped his elbows on his knees and dug his palms into his eyes, gritting his teeth.

_-Stupid, STUPID!—_

_-going to be fine, fine—_

_If he—_

_What if I'm the reason—_

_-so stupid—_

_-should have been there!_

_-why didn't I?_

"I didn't do that!" M'gann gasped, jolting from her very comfortable position.

Artemis calmed her, pulling her head back against her shoulder. "It's okay," she assured her.

Wally looked too resigned to bother getting frustrated. Superboy looked slightly upset, but he also flashed her a sympathetic look.

"I don't know why that keeps happening," she promised desperately. "I swear I'm not digging."

"Just relax," Artemis cooed. "Try and sleep," she offered.

M'gann shook her head, but a few minutes later her eyelids were too heavy to keep open.


	4. Chapter 4

I just want to say thanks to all of you who've read this, and an extra special thank you to those who have given me such a positive response. It's great to hear what you think, as well as helpful. I'm really grateful! Now before I get all mushy, have Artemis's chapter!

* * *

Artemis awoke slowly.

She took her time scrubbing the sleep out of her eye and yawning as she sat up. For a very brief moment she wasn't sure why the sleeping bodies of her teammates surrounded her.

Then she remembered.

She turned her head to the door, finding herself quite sore and aching. Without trying the handle she knew it was locked, the entrance monitor blinking for a password. Sighing with resignation she turned back to the sleeping team. M'gann was by her side with her back against the wall, curled in a tight ball. Kaldur, who must have joined them later that night, was to M'gann's right, stretched along his side with his arms folded beneath his head and the length of each leg along the ground. To his right was Superboy, who slept on his back, legs perfectly straight. He must have begun to break his pod-sleeping habit, though, as one arm lay across his chest and the other bent back at the elbow, resting just above his head. Wally was on his left—Artemis's right—sleeping just as was to be expected, sprawled and bent like a pretzel, taking up more room than his lanky limbs actually needed.

A mixture of affection and patronization, she ruffled his bed head to wake him. He groaned as his eyelids pried open. He got to his knees, settling his haunches on his heels, eyes blinking rapidly. "Dizzy," he said.

"I knew you would be, you need food. C'mon," she whispered. She held out her hand to pull him to his feet. They tiptoed towards the kitchen, holding their breath in tight lungs.

She released the air with a sigh as they rounded the corner to a long corridor. Wally's stomach rumbled fiercely and he gave a sheepish grin. He looked weak. She shook her head. "You should have eaten last night."

"Usually I notice after three hours at the most," he said. "But I wasn't hungry. Anything I ate probably would have come right back up."

She set her jaw, understanding. "Still should have eaten."

Turning the corner, they were bombarded with the smell of sweet maple bacon and the warmth of the stovetop and the sliding of a spatula over a frying pan.

"'Morning," Black Canary said, sliding a plate of still-steaming eggs and bacon and toast along the counter top, which Wally claimed for himself with a cry of pleasure.

"'Morning," Artemis tried, sitting down slowly onto one of the bar stools, accepting her own plate of breakfast and a glass of orange juice along with it. "Thanks?"

"I figured none of you were—"

"Seconds please!" Wally grinned like a four-year-old, toast crumbs meshing with freckles at the corners of his mouth.

She dumped more food on his plate before returning to Artemis. "As I was saying, I had a feeling you guys weren't going to put food very high up on your priorities list."

Artemis chewed slowly on her toast, peeling away the crust with her teeth, contemplating how to approach the subject. "The door was locked this morning," she noted.

Black Canary nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Batman took Robin home late last night."

"When will they be back?" she asked immediately, her voice pinching with anxiety.

"I don't know. Batman left mission assignments to me for the day. I imagine I'll get an update at the end of the day, but I can't say for sure." Black Canary's watchful blue gaze struck Artemis with a great self-consciousness. "He didn't look good, to say the least, but he must have been stable enough to move," she answered Artemis's silent question.

Artemis bit her lip and pushed away her food, hardly half-eaten.

Black Canary dropped her forearms to the countertop, leaning in to speak at eye level. "It comes with the territory, Artemis," her voice was quiet, firm but understanding. "We do this inspite of the danger that constantly surrounds us, we do it so often we get used to it. But the danger is still very real. Tragedy tends to be close at hand for all of us. We have to stay strong."

Artemis's hands clenched tightly around her glass of orange juice. "If . . . if you get an update, will you tell us?"

Black Canary nodded.

"Artemis," Wally said, spinning to face her. "Should we wake the others up?"

She glanced down at herself, noticing she was covered in grime and sweat and her costume was torn up rather generously, and made a face. "I think we should shower, maybe change, first, let them sleep a little longer," she said, noticing the clear line where the dirt ended and where his cowl had began, though it hung loose around his neck now.

"Hmm," he agreed, trying to rub away the dust, only managing to spread it around his face.

The stood up from the table and bid Black Canary a good bye, headed off for their rooms.

"Better?" she asked Wally.

He paused. "I'm not hungry any more."

"Yeah, me neither," she folded her arms over her chest. Despite the full feeling in her stomach she still felt quite sick. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Upon entering her room, Artemis made a beeline for the bathroom, tossing her destroyed uniform in the corner and twisting on the hot water. The liquid that pooled around her feet was black with dirt and explosive residue. She gritted her teeth as the water began to sting the shallow scratches that raked across her back.

But what hurt most was the terrible aching in her chest, like each breath fought against a thousand pounds weighing on her chest. Artemis didn't cry much, she was tough and hard to crack. She had forgotten what a miserable feeling it produced the next day.

When she was finally clean, scrubbed bright red, she shut off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. The frigid mirror kissed her fingertips as she absently doodled away the fog. Her heart sank upon noticing her tracings; they held an uncomfortable similarity to Robin's mask. She wiped it away furiously before deciding she needed to dress quickly.

The tears were welling up, creeping higher and higher in her throat, as though she were drowning. It made her angry, which in turn only made the water rise faster, but she absolutely refused to cry. She threw on her uniform as quickly as she could; being alone was dangerous.


End file.
